This invention relates to drive coupling assemblies and, more particularly, to drive coupling assemblies for drivingly connecting together rotatable drive and driven members and having the capability of accommodating axial and/or angular misalignment between the rotational axes of the drive and driven members.
In some drive arrangements, a rotatable drive member, such as an adapter connected to an engine fly wheel, is drivingly connected to a rotatably driven member, such as a clutch pulley, through a drive coupling assembly. The rotational axis of the drive member can be radially and/or angularly misaligned with the rotational axis of the driven member because of manufacturing tolerances and the like. Consequently, the coupling assembly drivingly connecting together the drive and driven members must be capable of accommodating such misalignment. Universal joints, flexible plate arrangements, and axially extending elastomeric mounts have been used for this purpose. Many of these prior drive coupling assemblies require considerable space and/or are quite expensive. Also, some are not particularly effective in accommodating backlash.
Attention is directed to the following United States Patents which exemplify prior drive coupling assemblies:
______________________________________ Patentee U.S. Pat. No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Kay 1,528,433 March 3, 1925 Lopez 2,552,682 May 15, 1951 Ottaway 2,802,350 August 13, 1957 Smith 3,044,281 July 17, 1962 Paulsen 3,438,221 April 15, 1969 Colletti et al. 3,823,576 July 16, 1974 Clampett 3,879,959 April 29, 1975 ______________________________________